What’s your favourite paradox? My current one is ‘how can the many awesome games in The Humble Paradox Bundle 2018 cost so little money?’. Wait, that’s not a paradox – it’s just a really good deal. Looks like I need to finish this news post then head back to paradox school.

Fortunately I won’t need to enrol to enjoy the games on offer here. This bundle has 8 in total, with highlights including Obsidian’s RPG Pillars of Eternity and the surprisingly funny wizard brawler Magicka 2. This is Paradox though, so best of all is the selection of sprawling strategy games. Let’s dive in!

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Magicka 2 [official site] has received yet another set of DLC named Ice, Death and Fury because, if the trailer below is anything to go by, it’s got loads of ice and death and fury. Sometimes it is that simple. Have a look for yourself after the drop:

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Half the fun in Magicka came from trying to do something helpful but accidentally casting a spell that was very unexpected and deeply unhelpful, thanks to its squillion combo spells. It was quite nice when spells went well too, I suppose. Whatever you’re trying to accomplish – there’s always one joker determined to kill everyone – in Magicka 2 [official site] you can now add a few thousand extra spells to your arsenal, as the sequel has brought the Ice and Steam elements and created a new Poison element too. Just imagine all the ways those could combine badly with all your spells.

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There’s something about Magicka’s sense of humour that makes the series instantly likeable. The first game and all of its DLC was daft and fun and refused to take itself seriously. It helped that it was a cracking good game, as well. Judging from the Magicka 2 [official site] launch trailer, the sequel looks to follow the same vein. Only 96 seconds long and I definitely caught myself mid-chuckle at least twice. Bodes well.

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Magicka 2 [official site] is walking a fine line with each successive trailer. It’s always aiming to be self-aware and to parody other games, films, TV shows, but it comes so close sometimes to simply making pop culture references and assuming mere recognition is enough. I think the latest trailer, demonstrating the wizardy sequel’s co-op mode, falls just on the right side of the divide. Watch it below.

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The Bringers of Strategy Gaming Joy at Paradox Entertainment have released a new trailer for Magicka 2 [official site]. It’s a very in-right-now parody of the Game of Thrones intro theme that will make you smile with the smug sense of satisfaction that comes from getting a pop culture reference. It’s also designed to remind you of the game’s release date, but in case you prefer to have YouTube videos expertly transcribed for you by professional writers, that release date is May 26.

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I appreciate anything that carves out a space for itself to be daft, and Magicka has long been entertaining with its silly wizards, clumsy co-op violence and self-deprecating trailers. This latest video for Magicka 2 is by far the oddest yet. Come for the new footage of wizards slaying magical beasts with beam-weapons, stay for the retro karaoke-video-style.

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Wizard Wars has been scratching my mischief and magic itch for the past few months, but that doesn’t diminish my delight at the prospect of a full-blown Magicka sequel. Coming to PS4 as well as PC, the game will contain four player co-op, a story-based campaign and ‘relationship-testing friendly fire’. Paradox apparently have each of their studios working on a PS4 game (presumably for PC as well), which might well mean the debut of one of their grand strategy titles on a console. Stranger things have happened. Like that time a wizard accidentally exploded your cat.

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